


All Things Unexpected

by barsonaddict



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-04 11:25:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12167916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barsonaddict/pseuds/barsonaddict
Summary: When an undercover operation goes south, Fin finds help from an unexpected source.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written with CUtopia and inspired by the promo pics for the season 19 premiere, 'Gone Fishing'. The intention was a short one shot, but here we are a couple weeks and around 13k words later. Enjoy!

Fin Tutuola stares at the bare concrete wall at the opposite side of the tiny interview room,wondering briefly why he’s been so stupid. Normally he was the one putting the handcuffs on people, and now he’s the one wearing them, chained to the table he was sitting at; arrested, in Cuba.

Certainly a new experience, just not a very pleasing one.

  
The officers had gotten him out of his cell - well, he calls it hole - telling him that someone was there who wanted to speak to him, seated him in this room and left. Maybe they’re trying to play tricks on his mind, raising his hopes that someone is coming for him just to crush them…

  
Fin almost jumps when the door is pushed open all of a sudden and surprise rushes through him as no other than Rita Calhoun marches into the interview room, not quite fitting into the atmosphere with her usual chic skirt suit and designer heels, hair perfectly curled.

Before he can even open his mouth to say something, she is already glaring at him, her green eyes gleaming with anger as she exclaims: "The only reason I ever wanted to come to Cuba for was a vacation! Are you out of your mind?”

  
"Aren't you warm in those clothes?"

  
"I'm angry, Sergeant!"

  
Her annoyance with him is more than obvious and he is sure he’s never seen her like this before, displaying so many strong emotions.

Fin is sitting there trying to control himself, almost overwhelmed by the various feelings rushing through him as he realises she’s really here.  
'Dammit Tutuola, get yourself together! She's here to get you out of JAIL and all you can focus on is how gorgeous she is!'

  
"What the fuck did you do, Sergeant?" she asks when the officers who led her in left them alone in the interrogation room. Her green eyes are sparkling in fury and she makes a frustrated noise as she shrugs off her blazer, revealing a tightly fitting, long-sleeved blouse. It looks like she’s been beamed out of a Manhattan courtroom to land here.

  
Fin licks his lips, his mouth suddenly dry. He really shouldn't be thinking about her this way, especially now, as she's obviously his lawyer. But still... he gets lost staring at her, watching her gesticulate and talk with passion, pacing in front of him.

  
"Well?" She says forcefully, her hands on her hips as she ends her monologue to stare at him.

  
Shit. He has no idea what she said.

  
"Uh, it was an undercover op," he says dumbly, hoping that the sentence makes a bit of sense or she's really going to rip him a new one.

  
"Authorised by who?" she asks sharply, eyes narrowing further as she continues glaring at him. He feels like she knows he was staring at her, and even now his gaze briefly flickers down to her legs.

  
"Please, Tutuola, tell me the CIA sent you because otherwise I don't know how you want me to explain why you, an American police officer, kidnapped a person on Cuban soil."

  
Fin gulps, knowing that isn't the case. "Does it help that he's an American citizen?" he asks lamely.  
Rita growls and leans forwards, supporting herself on the table - Fin gulps and tries to keep his focus on her face.

  
"Tutuola, stop joking around! This is serious!"

  
He sits back and moves to cross his arms over his chest, forgetting that his hands are chained to the table. He's in a foreign prison, and his only hope to get out is this woman in front of him.

  
"M'sorry," he mumbles. "I don't know what to tell you- we thought it would never come to this, obviously. I don't want to die in a Cuban prison, Counselor."

  
"I feel like you weren't thinking at all," Rita says with a sigh, her features softening slightly. "Don't worry. I'll get you out, even though I have no idea how yet."

She runs a hand through her light brown curls and sinks down onto her chair, sighing while she pulls out a notepad from her briefcase.  
"You need to be prepared to tell me everything. Every single detail so that I can do this properly. Trust me to know what information is pertinent or not, okay? I’m going to see if I can get you out on bail- I don't trust that these rooms aren't being monitored," she explains quietly, pointing subtly at the camera on the wall behind her.

  
Fin gulps and nods, grateful that she's here - he knows she's very good, and he trusts her.  
And so he tells her everything about how he'd planned this and found the people to execute the plan.  
"I couldn't let him get away."

  
Rita shakes her head; sometimes doing the right thing gets you arrested. She glances at her watch. "Alright, I have to go, I have a meeting with the judge in an hour and I don't want to be late. Hopefully I will be back later with good news and you can get out of here while we wait for your trial. Otherwise, I'll be back first thing in the morning with a game plan," she elaborates confidently, though on the inside her stomach is in knots. She's feeling the pressure of the case and wishes she could call Barba to get his advice, but he made it clear that any contact between them would reflect badly upon Fin once they were back in the New York judicial system.

  
"Thank you, Calhoun. Really," Fin says softly, feeling like he's unable to express just how grateful he is that she traveled several hundred miles for him, and she gives him a tight smile.

  
"Don't thank me, Sergeant. I haven't achieved anything yet."  
She stands up and slips her blazer back on before packing up her things. She has a bad feeling about leaving him here, but she has no choice.

  
An officer comes in and asks her something, and Rita answers in perfect Spanish, confirming that they are done talking.

  
Fin watches her leave, and just before she is out of sight she looks back, meeting his eyes and giving him what she hopes is an encouraging smile.

OoO

Her small smile stays with him for the next hours as he waits in his cell, lying on the small bunk bed and staring at the ceiling. He doesn't know how many hours pass until he hears the sound of heels on concrete coming closer and he sits up abruptly.

  
Rita looks extremely tired when she stops in front of his cell, but a grim expression of triumph is on her face as their gazes meet.

  
"The judge agreed to let you out, but I swear, if you do anything stupid I will kill you with my bare hands because I vouched for your good behaviour and was told not to let you out of my sight."

  
Fin breathes out a chuckle and feels like he could weep in gratitude and relief. "Thank you, Counselor, you have no idea...." he trails off and gets up to cross the few feet of space between the bunk and the door.

  
Rita looks around distastefully and barely holds in a shudder. "You're right, I don't. And since we're about to be roomies, I think you should start calling me Rita."

  
"Fin," he says with a grin while an officer unlocks the door of the cell and he hurries to grab his jacket and they’re led out. Only a short time later Fin received his valuables back and they’re sitting in a cab.

  
"The DA of Havana wanted your ass rotting in jail," Rita says casually, typing something on her phone. "But in the end he was easy to crack. Big ego, macho."

  
Fin smirks. "You're used to dealing with Barba, I'm sure it was a similar situation."

  
Rita chuckles, continuing to type as she answers. "You have no idea."

  
They sit in silence the rest of the ride to the hotel, Rita still sending what seems like endless messages, and Fin looking out the window feeling a bit lost. He doesn't know how he'll ever make it up to Rita, but he promises himself that he will.

  
When they arrive at the hotel he's a little shocked, even though he guesses he should have known that Rita Calhoun would get herself a room in the most luxurious hotel of Havana. He feels like a tramp next to her as they walk through the lobby towards the elevator, and he releases a breath he didn't know he was holding when Rita presses the button for the penthouse and the doors close.

  
Rita looks over at Fin, the relief rolling off of him in waves. She touches his elbow gently, giving him a small smile. "You'll feel better after a hot shower and something to eat."

  
"Thanks," he says quietly as they get off the elevator, entering the ridiculously huge penthouse. A big suitcase is standing in the entrance area, and Fin asks himself if she rested at all since flying here. It doesn't look like she was in the penthouse for longer than a few minutes.

  
"Your own hotel room and everything in it is seen as evidence so I called the manager and let them buy some clothes for you in the boutique downstairs so you have something to change into."

  
Again he is filled with a rush of gratitude, and if he weren't afraid of giving her a random disease he would probably pull her into a big hug.

  
"Rita... thank you doesn't seem like enough. But it's all I have right now. So, thank you," he says sincerely.

  
Rita's cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink and she almost replies with something about how she's just doing her job or that she would do this for any client, but that's not true. Especially sharing a suite with a client.

  
She clears her throat delicately. "You're welcome. Your room is just through there, the clothes should be in the closet already. Now go soak in the Jacuzzi- I'll order dinner to be delivered in about an hour."

  
Fin can't seem to find more words so he just gives her a smile and walks over to the door she pointed at. He would never be able to pay her back for what she is doing for him right now.

  
Rita feels a little tingly on the inside as she watches him leave and she almost stumbles over her own suitcase. Scolding herself to pull herself together she grabs the suitcase and walks off to her own room, deciding to change into something a little more comfortable before ordering dinner.

OoO

When Fin enters the living area of the penthouse a little while later he feels human again: clean and in regular (if not his own) clothes. He finds Rita sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, papers spread all over. She's got a Bluetooth headset on and is clearly discussing something important - though she's speaking so quickly in Spanish that Fin can't catch more than a random word here and there.

  
She changed her clothes too, now wearing a flowy cream skirt and a blue and white striped tshirt. Her hair is bound up in a messy ponytail and he briefly thinks that he wouldn't have recognised her on the street. When he comes closer, she notices him from the corner of her eye and stands up, walking over to a small kitchen area barefooted and coming back with a cup of coffee she hands him while still talking, then she says something slightly aggressive and ends the call, flinging the headset onto coffee table.

  
"Um, everything alright?" he asks quietly, eyeing the headset critically. Rita picks up her own cup of coffee and takes a big drink before answering.

  
"I'm trying to find a Cuban lawyer that I can trust to consult with me on your case. So that I can have someone on our side that knows the intricacies of the law here. Unfortunately, most of my Cuban lawyer pool consists of Rafael Barba."

  
"Oh," he makes lamely, not knowing what to say to help. It's his fault she's so stressed out; if he hadn't been so stupid she wouldn't have to deal with this now.

  
"I just tried to warm up some contacts from Harvard, people who know people." She stretches her back with a sigh and the sleeve of her shirt slips up a little, revealing some lines of ink on her skin.

  
Fin can't help but stare and blurt out, "Do you have a tattoo?"

  
Rita freezes for a moment, looking up at him briefly before turning back to her papers, obviously trying to appear casual. "I really don't think my tattoos should be our focus right now."

  
Tattoos? Plural? The formulation sticks around in his head and he can't help but wonder how they look like and where they are. Rita Calhoun is the last person he would expect to have one tattoo, let alone several, and he is truly curious. It distracts him from the situation at hand, takes some of the stress and worry away and he's glad to have something else to occupy his mind.

  
"Sorry... just... just never thought you would be the tattoo person."  
Rita smirks to herself.

"We all have our little secrets, Sergeant.”

  
Somehow he feels very interested in hers, and he's horrified when he realises he said that out loud.  
A few hours in prison and he is losing his mind.

  
Rita chuckles. "Well let's focus on the matter at hand first, then we'll celebrate with a round of truth or dare."

  
Fin can't help but smirk back and only the knock on the door keeps him from saying something dirty that would probably earn him a punch. What is wrong with him lately? He seems to have lost control over his thoughts and tongue around her.

  
"Dinner has arrived," Rita announces while a hotel employee wheels a big tray of food in.

  
Fin's stomach growls audibly at the smell; Rita politely ignores it and thanks the employee, handing him a generous tip.

  
"Now we're going to see if Lucia's cooking is really better than "the old country's"," Rita says mostly to herself and Fin feels a little jealous at the thought of Rita being at Lucia Barba's for dinner regularly, even though he knows that Barba and her have been friends since college.

  
They're sitting down at the dining table where the employee spread out the food and she places her napkin over her lap, adding: "I didn’t know what you like so I ordered a bit more."

  
"I don't have much experience with Cuban cooking, to be honest," Fin admits as he takes his seat and copies her motions with his own napkin. "It smells delicious, though."

  
"It does," she replies with a small smile, pulling a platter of fish over to load some on her plate, together with some vegetables. She doesn't really want to cut the topic, but she feels rude for not having asked earlier. "How did they treat you?"

  
Fin shrugs, taking a rice dish and putting some on his plate, glancing up to meet her eyes briefly. "Fine. I mean, it was prison so it's never pleasant. But they knew I was American. They don't want any bad press."

  
Rita feels relief wash through her and she nods. "That's good. Well, for our case it would have come in handy if they'd treated you badly but for you... I mean I'm glad you're okay." She hurries to cut a piece from her fish and puts it in her mouth to stop the embarrassing stuttering.

  
Fin smirks at her. "I know what you mean." He adds some fish and vegetables to his plate as well and starts eating. The pink tinge on her cheeks is something he finds endearing, and he's surprised at his desire to make her blush again.

  
They eat in silence, neither of them willing to talk about the reason they’re here while also not knowing a different topic. After having some baked bananas for dessert they settle on the couch and Rita grabs her phone to check her messages in the hope that one of her contacts got back to her with good news.

  
Fin meanwhile flips through the channels on the television, mostly for having something to do; his phone went missing at some point and he has absolutely no idea where or how to get it back. Even a replacement seems out of reach at this point. He feels so helpless and out of control of his own life.

  
Rita sighs in frustration and dials a number, getting up from the couch to pace the room while waiting for someone to pick up. She's exhausted from the flight and running around in Havana trying to get the best conditions for the case and for Fin, still she doesn't feel like she can rest.

  
Fin does his best not to eavesdrop on her conversation and finds himself paying attention to an episode of Friends (dubbed in Spanish of course) when Rita swears loudly and throws her phone onto the couch in frustration. "It's not even five o'clock in fucking Los Angeles, why aren't these assholes working?"

  
"You should rest. You've been working all day because of me," Fin says quietly, taking her phone and placing it on the coffee table.

  
Rita rubs her temples and takes a deep breath. "I don't mean to be a bitch but I'm trying to save your ass here. I intend to be flying back to American soil with you next to me. Unless you want to spend years in a Cuban lockup I've got to get something going. I don't have time to rest."

  
He feels truly worried and decides to give it another try. "I don't think it would help me much if my lawyer collapsed because she worked too much and didn't get any sleep."

  
Rita rolls her eyes but sees that he's truly concerned. "I've been working long hours for thirty years, Fin. I highly doubt this will be the case to break me," she protests stubbornly, but she sits down next to him and stares at the television. Her whole body aches as she slumps down at the couch but it's in relief and she hates to admit to herself that he's right.

  
"Maybe, but you never know when the breaking point might come. So please, Cal... Rita, just go to bed, get some hours of sleep and I'll never say anything about you working too much again."

  
She purses her lips and ultimately gives in. "Fine. But only if you go to bed too. And to be clear- you bossing me around? Not your best move," she says, but her slight smirk softens her words.

  
"I'll keep that in mind," he replies with a grin, feeling like she is a woman who likes to be in control.

"Okay, deal. I'll go to bed now too."

  
"Good."

  
Rita stands up and takes her phone from the coffee table before moving towards the door to her room; Fin flicks the TV off and stands up as well, heading in the opposite direction to his bedroom. Just before he reaches the door he states quietly, "I really do appreciate everything you're doing for me, Rita. There's no one I'd rather have on my side."

  
She pauses in the doorframe and bites her bottom lip before turning, trying to look as casual as possible.

  
"I'm just doing my job," she answers, even though she knows that flying to Cuba already was more than what she would do for any normal client, and Fin knows too that's not completely true, but doesn't want to argue anymore. Instead he just gives her a small smile.

  
"Goodnight, Rita."

  
"Goodnight, Fin," Rita replies, returning his smile, then she softly closes the door behind herself.

  
Fin stares at the closed door for a long moment before getting into his room too. He undresses and climbs into the king sized bed; the fluffy pillows feel like heaven and he falls asleep within a few minutes, exhaustion knocking him out effectively.

  
Meanwhile, Rita can't seem to settle her mind, and even after taking a hot shower she just lays in bed, staring at the ceiling.

  
Her mind is too busy to grant her some rest, spinning around the question how she'll get Fin out of trouble.

  
In the middle of the night Fin wakes up from a bad dream, running his hand over his face while sitting up, trying to shake off the vague, dark. Sweat is covering his skin and his throat is dry, so he decides to get something to drink and use the time to calm down - his heart's still racing in his chest. He heads out to the living room at the promise of the mini fridge, frowning when he sees the light flooding underneath his bedroom door.

  
That light definitely wasn't on when he went to sleep.

  
He quietly opens the door and tiptoes out, having a suspicion on the cause of the light; his eyes need a moment to adjust to the light difference and then he spots Rita on the couch. She's wearing pyjama pants and a top, so she obviously was in bed but only waited until he was asleep to come back. Fin can't help but smirk at the sight of her asleep on her paperwork, curled up like a cat.

  
He steps closer, picking up a few stray papers that have fallen to the floor, and places them on the coffee table. Standing directly next to her now, he can't help but take a moment to simply look at her; Rita Calhoun is a beautiful woman.

  
Her face is relaxed in sleep, though she scrunches her nose when a stray strand of hair tickles her. Fin contemplates waking her when she shifts slightly and her hair glides off her shoulder, revealing her skin and the dark lines her shirt had hidden earlier.  
Fin is transfixed by the sight of the ink on her skin, forming a beautiful rose pattern. He wonders what the story behind it is- and if he'll ever hear it.

  
Rita sighs before turning, one of the papers sticking to her cheek, and Fin decides he can't let her sleep on her paperwork the whole night. Gathering his courage, he steps closer and carefully peels the sheet off her cheek, trying to decide between waking her or trying to carry her to bed.

  
Ultimately he decides that he doesn't want to lose an arm (or worse) if she woke up while he was holding her in his arms so he kneels down next to the couch and gently touches her arm. "Rita," he croons softly, "wake up!"

  
She mumbles something unintelligible under her breath but continues sleeping, causing him to sigh heavily. He shakes her arm lightly this time as he says her name, hoping she will wake now. Again it appears as if she's trying to say something, but he can't make out what it is. Frustrated, he says her name louder and this time it works: in half a second her fiery green eyes are glaring at him. "What the hell, Tutuola?"

  
"Yeah, same. What the hell are you doing here? I thought we agreed to get some sleep!" he scolds her, leaning back a little while she sits up and hurries to wipe some drool from the corner of her mouth.

  
Rita runs her fingers through her curls then huffs, embarrassed and sleepy. "I tried. I took a hot shower, laid in bed for over an hour, I even tried counting sheep for awhile. I just couldn't switch my mind off. So I came back out here to be productive," she explains, crossing her arms under her breasts, just now realizing how chilly it's gotten in the room with the windows open.

  
Fin tries hard not to look down, concentrating on her face and masking his momentary distraction with a grin. "Obviously that put you to sleep. Maybe you should go to bed and try sleeping again. Or do I have to carry you there and use my handcuffs to keep you in bed?"

  
"Forcible confinement, Sergeant? That sounds awfully familiar," she teases, referencing his pending charges; Fin feels his cheeks get hot and backs up as she moves to stand up.

  
"You know that's my job sometimes, right?" he says, trying to act casual. "And outside the job I've only done that when I was begged to." What the hell is wrong with him? Uncontrollable babbling normally never happens to him.

  
Rita chuckles, amused by his response. "I'm only teasing, Fin. But you're right, consent is necessary in those types of situations."

  
"Yeah, yeah it is, otherwise it... it wouldn't be fun." He feels like he's sweating from the effort of keeping himself from imagining a certain situation... he really needs to get back into bed, his brain is playing tricks on him and her standing so close doesn't help it.

  
She can't help but breathe in his scent, and the thought pops into her mind that she wouldn't mind him crawling into bed with her just then. Where the hell did that come from, Calhoun? Get yourself together. He's your client. This isn't a vacation.

  
"Well, uhm... goodnight, then. For the second time," she says quietly but doesn't move, staring at him while the salty breeze from the ocean is blowing into the room.

  
Fin catches himself staring at her again and clears his throat. "Yeah. Um. 'Night," he says quietly, looking at her face. He makes his way back to his bedroom door before he says one last thing. "Nice tattoo, by the way. Suits you."

  
Rita, still standing in the same spot, turns to him and briefly looks down at her shoulder and the roses decorating her skin before meeting his eyes again. "Thanks. It was my second one."  
She gives him a small, satisfied smile and heads back to her room, throwing over her shoulder, "Please don't move my papers- they're in a system."

Fin looks at the chaos on the coffee table and the couch and raises his eyebrow. "System. Yeah, sure," he grumbles before vanishing in his room, asking himself where that first tattoo she mentioned is. Not that he would ever find out…

  
Rita climbs back into bed with a smile on her face. Who knew middle of the night banter could be so relaxing? Enjoying the feel of the fresh breeze coming through the window she feels at peace for the first time since hearing about the whole predicament; while there's still a big hill to climb she knows she's up to the challenge.

  
She falls asleep easily this time, cuddled into the cushions, and dreams of a walk by the beach, with the sun shining down at her and someone holding her hand.

 

OoO

Fin wakes early the next morning, his worries waking him, and he decides that trying to sleep again would be in vain, so he gets dressed.

Upon entering the living room he realises that Rita must still be asleep, as she's nowhere to be seen and it's very quiet - well, until her phone rings on the coffee table. He glances at her bedroom door, not really wanting to answer her phone. But he sees the area code on the display and recognizes it's from LA. Wasn't she complaining about not being able to get ahold of someone there?

  
Against his instincts he picks up.  
"Hello, Rita Calhoun's phone."

  
There's silence at the other end of the line for a moment, then a smug voice slowly says: "Hello... who's there?"

  
"Fin Tutuola," he replies, slightly confused about the triumphant undertone of the woman. "What can I do for you?"

  
"This is Marilyn. I wanted to speak to my sister."

  
Fin thinks to himself that he really should have thought this through. "Um, she- she's not available just at the moment. Can I take a message?"

  
Marilyn snorts. "I know my sister is a workaholic but it's only 6am in Cuba. She can't be in a business meeting yet. And she told me she wasn't traveling with an assistant so I must ask, why are you answering her phone so early?"

  
He gulps and clears his throat. "She's still asleep," he admits and somehow feels the need to add something. "In her bed. And I slept in mine." As if he hadn't made a fool of himself enough already.

  
Marilyn does her best to hold in another snort, but it's 3am and she's nearing the end of a 24 hour shift at the hospital so she's exhausted. "Right. Well, can you please wake her up? I wouldn't ask except I only have a few minutes to spare and she left me several colourful messages to call her immediately."

  
Fin feels like he would rather go back to the Cuban prison than to let Rita know that he touched her phone, but Marilyn's tone made it clear she won't accept a No.  
"Well, uhm... okay," he replies and walks over to Rita's door slowly. He opens it quietly and steps inside, gulping as he sees her on the bed, limbs stretched into every direction, hair a curly mess and her pyjamas in disarray.  
Clearing his throat lightly he reaches out to shake her shoulder gently. "Rita, your sister is on the phone," he says in what he hopes is a soothing voice.

On the other end of the line Marilyn is wishing she had a bowl of popcorn to more thoroughly enjoy this.

"What phone?" Rita grumbles into the pillows half asleep, shifting so her top slips up a little and Fin catches a glimpse of dark lines on her ribcage. She doesn't seem to understand anything of the situation, but a second later she sits up abruptly, wide awake as she stares at him and her phone in his hand.

  
He quickly thrusts the iPhone into her hand and exits the room without another word. He collapses into an armchair, wondering why he thought it would be a good idea to answer her phone in the first place. He also needs a minute to gather himself- he never pictured Rita sleeping before, but the reality was absolutely adorable.

  
Rita stares after him in confusion before holding the phone to her ear. "Calhoun?"

  
"You could have told me that you're going to Cuba to get a good shag. I'm your sister, Rita, I thought we agreed to share such information!"

  
Rita flops down onto the bed.  
It's too early for this. "Marilyn, I'm not on vacation. Like I told you before- I'm here on a case. Fin is a friend and colleague and he's my client. That's it. There's no shagging going on here."

  
"What a shame. He sounds attractive. Also, since when do your clients have access to your bedroom? I feel like there's more behind this, more than you want to admit to yourself," Marilyn says teasingly in her usual rush of words and Rita pinches the bridge of her nose.

  
"How can you sound attractive? You know what, never mind. I don't have to explain myself to you Marilyn. He's not like a regular client- I know him. He's staying in my two bedroom suite as an alternative to being in a Cuban prison, so please just drop it."

  
"You always had a thing for the bad boys," Marilyn states with an audible grin, of course not willing to drop the topic so easily.

  
Rita growls at that but can't really argue. "I swear to god Marilyn, if I didn't need your contacts I would hang up on you right now!"

Marilyn giggles. "I know, that's why it's so fun!"

  
Rita rolls her eyes - little sisters - and pushes some strands of hair out of her face. "Could you please tell me now if you reached your friend?"

  
"Only if you tell me what kind of interest you have in Mr Tutuola."

  
"I have a very deep interest in keeping him out of a foreign prison. That's all the interest I have right now, Marilyn! Now tell me!"

  
"Jameson is out of town but his partner gave me a phone number. Now, how close of a friend is he? Can you send me a picture?"

Rita breathes a sigh of relief- Jameson is highly respected and she trusts his colleagues. "No, I'm not sending you a picture, Marilyn."

  
"Why not? Please tell me you won't cockblock yourself."

  
"We're not talking about this right now, Marilyn. I promise I'll call you back after I get him off and you can pester me then. Now send me the information please," Rita says sternly, not realizing her poor choice of words.

  
Marilyn laughs triumphantly. "Have fun, Rita. Use protection."

  
Rita shakes her head at her baby sister and simply ignores her statement. "Love you, talk soon. Bye," she says then hangs up; sighing heavily, she wonders what today will bring.

  
24 hours ago she was in her own bed snuggling with her kitten. Now she's in Cuba, fighting to keep Fin out of prison, or at the very least have him extradited to the US.

  
A moment later her phone buzzes as Marilyn sends her the number she was given and she sighs, deciding that it's too early to call the lawyer.

  
However, she needs coffee first.  
Forcing herself to get out of bed, she pads into the living room where Fin is trying to look casual and not scared that she will yell at him.

  
Rita strides over to the little kitchen and stares at the full coffee pot in surprise. "Thanks for making this," she mumbles, her annoyance with him lessening but still present.

  
"No problem," he replies quietly, shifting nervously. "I didn't mean to... it just kept ringing and it sounded like you were waiting for an important message from LA. Sorry, really. Won't happen again."

  
Rita snorts. "It was important, it just also happened to be my sister. Who, I'm sure you've realized, believes we're here on a sex vacation!"

  
Fin chokes on the sip of coffee he just took and stares at her with wide eyes while coughing; Rita looks at him over her shoulder, smirking even harder. "Oh, she only said that to me? Huh."

  
"Why... Why does she think stuff like that?" Fin gasps and Rita feels her mood lifting a lot at the sight of him stuttering and looking all embarrassed. Normally he always acts tough and is so calm.

  
Rita stirs milk into her coffee and shrugs. "She seems to think that because I'm single I have a new fling every week. She's been married almost fifteen years, has two kids, and hasn't really liked her husband in a while. She's living vicariously through me." Rita crosses the room to sit in the arm chair opposite Fin. "Oh, and the fact that we're sharing a hotel room and you answered my phone at 6 am," she adds cheekily.

  
"I told her we're not sleeping in the same bed," Fin grumbles, secretly intrigued by the personal information she's revealing.

  
She smirks into her cup, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. "Ashamed to be in a fake relationship with me, Fin?"

  
He straightens his back, telling himself to pull himself together - she's enjoying this way too much for his taste. A smirk on his lips now too, he looks her straight into the eyes and replies: "Not at all. I got the feeling you like the thought, Calhoun. Still curious about the handcuffs?"

  
Thankful for her practised poker face, Rita cocks her head and purses her lips, pretending to think. "I can't deny it's an interesting offer," she replies. "Can you elaborate?"

  
Did she really just say that?  
Emboldened by her banter, he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You, completely at my mercy, allowing me to bring you pleasure you can only imagine."

  
A shiver shoots down her spine and she licks her lips unconsciously, unable to deny that the intense way he looks at her is affecting her.

  
He sits back and takes a sip of his coffee, giving her a wink. "And I promise, none of that will be fake."

  
"That's quite an ambitious offer," she says after clearing her throat, trying to keep herself from shifting in her seat.

  
"Well, you're going to get me off, the least I can do is return the favour." Holy shit, did he really just say that? To Rita Calhoun?!

  
She has to congratulate herself for managing to keep herself from blushing at his words and she tries to hide how little she was prepared for his formulation by replying: "I hope your performance would be as good as you make it sound. I hate empty offers."

  
When did their conversation start to go down this particular road? She'll definitely give Marilyn hell for planting these thoughts in her mind.

  
Fin almost feels like this is a dream; he's never had this type of conversation with anyone and been sober. "Baby, the only thing you'll be disappointed about is how long you waited to say yes."

  
Rita almost drops her coffee cup and she doesn't really know what to say - something she utterly hates. His intense dark eyes make her knees feel weak.

  
Fin is absolute mesmerized by her gaze; he loses track of how long they hold eye contact, leaning towards each other.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Featuring lots (lots) of fluff, and everyone's favourite meddling Cuban mother.

They're only a breath apart when Rita's phone suddenly starts ringing, breaking the moment.  
Rita almost jumps when the ringing breaks the silence and she hurries to bring some distance between them while grabbing her phone; her heart is racing and goosebumps cover her skin.  
"Calhoun?"

  
A part of her is incredibly glad that they were interrupted - she can barely believe she almost kissed Fin.

  
Fin slumps back into his chair, feeling a mix of disappointment and relief that they were interrupted. While he is undeniably attracted to her, this is the worst timing for anything to happen. They both need to be one hundred percent focused on his case.

  
Rita tries to concentrate on what her assistant is saying while she gets an update on the general firm business in New York, as well as the messages she had been expecting from her calls and emails the night before. Her head is spinning and, deciding that she can't face Fin right now, she takes the initiative and calls the Cuban lawyer right after finishing her conversation with her assistant.

He's already in his office and she takes her time explaining the situation to him, avoiding Fin's gaze.

  
Fin finishes his coffee and then decides to give Rita some room to concentrate on her conversation. He takes a quick shower and gets dressed, then places an order with room service before heading back to the sitting room. She's still on the phone, pacing while talking and even in her pyjamas, hair disheveled and sleep still in her eyes she's as impressive as always, fierce and authoritative.

  
After some more minutes she ends the call and turns to Fin, determination gleaming in her eyes. "He agreed to help us. We're meeting him in his office in two hours."

  
Fin has to rein in his attraction for her consciously and swallows hard. "Great. Uh, I um ordered us breakfast. Should be here in about thirty minutes," he says awkwardly, suddenly wondering if he overstepped.

  
She nods and puts her phone down on the coffee table, giving him a quick smile. "Good, thanks. I'll get ready quickly." She lingers for a moment, shifting from one foot onto the other, then she walks off to her room. Her heart is pounding weirdly hard in her chest while she takes some of the professional clothes she brought from her suitcase and lays them out on her unmade bed.

  
"Get it together, Rita," she chastises herself under her breath. "You're here to keep the man out of prison, not have a sex vacation! Great, now I sound like Marilyn."

  
After having chosen her outfit - a light dress in green because of the heat and her favourite cream Louboutins - she gets into the bathroom to get ready. While brushing her hair she watches her reflection in the mirror and chastises herself for thinking he would be interested in her. Fin Tutuola is charismatic and not shy at all, he probably can have any woman he wants.

  
Fin flips on the television then makes himself another cup of coffee, even though he's already feeling jittery. He tries not to think about everything he will miss if this meeting (and subsequently the trial) goes badly. Ken, his grandson, the SVU squad that has become his surrogate family; New York in general. He would miss it all.

  
When Rita returns to the living room she starts to feel some nervousness rising inside of her, making her hands shake a little. The breakfast arrived in the meantime and the heavenly smells of all kinds of delicious foods fill the room, but she somehow doesn't really feel like eating.

  
"I wasn't sure what you liked, so I ordered a few things to share," Fin says softly, a half eaten pancake and some fruit on his plate, and she feels a little guilty.

  
"Thanks, I'll probably just have a muffin and some more coffee," Rita replies with a small, forced smile. This whole situation has gone out of her control and it's not a feeling she likes or is used to. He nods, trying to hide his disappointment; he should have asked her beforehand, maybe she isn't a breakfast person...

  
Rita's stomach is protesting as she sips her coffee and forces herself to eat an oatmeal and banana muffin to have something in her stomach. Then, with a quick glance at the clock, she starts gathering her papers, meticulously checking again and again if she has everything they'll need.

  
Fin finishes eating and slips back into his room to check his appearance and make sure he's presentable. He doesn't want to embarrass himself or Rita by making a bad impression on this lawyer. In this moment he's seriously glad that Rita ordered to get these clothes from the boutique downstairs for him - they make him look a lot less like the tramp he feels like he is.

  
"Are you ready to go? Our driver is waiting," Rita calls, ripping him from his thoughts.

  
He gives himself one last critical look in the mirror, lamenting briefly the fact that he's nothing like Rita's type. He needs to let that little fantasy go, and focus on his case.

  
"Yeah, coming," he calls out, heading out to the door where Rita is waiting impatiently.

  
"I hope the traffic isn't that bad," Rita mumbles when they get on the elevator, more to herself than to him. She checks her appearance in the mirror when her phone suddenly rings (again), making Fin wonder if she ever sleeps or has time to eat with all the calls and messages she gets.

  
Rita looks at the screen and furrows her brow; she doesn't recognize the number. "Calhoun?"

"Oh darling, is that how you always answer the phone? No wonder you're single, you scare the men off with a simple greeting!"

  
"Lucia, why are you calling?" Rita asks in confusion, giving her best to sound polite. "If I had known it was you I would have said it differently, of course."

  
She can barely keep herself from rolling her eyes - Lucia always seems to find new reasons why she (or Rafael's cousin Delfia or until recently, Rafael himself) still are single.

  
"You should always be prepared, Rita. You never know when you'll meet your soulmate," Lucia says with a smile in her voice. If Rita weren't so distracted she would have noticed and turned around the interrogation. "But that's not why I'm calling. Rafael mentioned that you had to go out of town, and... certain people... are wondering if everyone in your party is in suitable health," she continues, trying her best to follow Rafael's directions and not call Fin out by name.

  
Rita raises an eyebrow, staring into space for a moment, then it clicks in her head. "Well, some of us have gotten a little too deep into Cuban public facilities but they got out okay. We're on our way to meet a colleague for some... shoptalk."

  
Lucia makes a noise of understanding and concern. "So everything is going according to plan? Your vacation plan, yes? I know how you like to plan everything dear. You're so organized," she says, trying to keep up the charade. The chances of their calls actually being monitored are slim, but it's better to err on the side of caution.

  
Rita glances over at Fin for a moment before the elevator doors open and they get off, slowly walking through the lobby.  
"I have the feeling it'll be hard to stick to it. There are so many things to keep in mind and it's complicated to figure out what to visit first. I'm worried we'll have to extend our stay if I can't find a good guide."

  
Lucia is quiet on the other end of the line for several seconds and Rita almost thinks the line has dropped when she finally says, "Alright, mija. I understand. Just remember, we all miss your party and hope to see you soon. Is it okay if I call you back tomorrow to see how your itinerary is coming along?"

  
Rita sighs, drawing Fin's attention. "Yes, Lucia, that's okay. Talk to you tomorrow."

  
She hangs up and Fin waits a moment before asking hesitantly, "Is everything okay?"

  
Rita gives him a thin smile. "Yeah. It seems Rafael 'Big Mouth' Barba has figured out a way to harness his mother's nosiness in his favour."

  
He merely nods while they step out of the hotel and into the sun. A car is waiting for them in front of the building and she says: "It's not a long ride but the cab drivers here made me feel like that would be my last car ride."

  
Fin chuckles lightly. "Agreed. Kind of makes me miss the crazy New York drivers."

  
They slip into the car and Rita gives the driver the address of the lawyer's office. "Don't worry, you'll soon be able to enjoy their antics again," she adds without thinking.

  
Fin takes in a measured breath, trying his hardest to believe her. "Thanks," he whispers, then clears his throat. "So, who is this guy anyway?"

  
"Hernando Díaz," she replies calmly. "A friend of Marilyn worked with him for some time when he was in Havana, doing quite the same as I'm trying right now. He's mostly a human rights lawyer but I believe he'll be very helpful."

  
Fin nods, trusting her judgment implicitly. They both look out their respective windows and watch the scenery slide by silently for the rest of the ride over. Well, Fin watches the scenery. Rita glances up from her phone occasionally.

  
When they arrive at Díaz's office Fin gets out quickly and holds the door for Rita, relieved when she thanks the driver and assures him they will call him for a return trip.  
She gives him a quick smile and mumbles a thanks, shouldering her bag before striding towards the building confidently, Fin following her quickly.

The building is unassuming and well kept despite its obvious age. As they step into the lobby a receptionist greets them by name. "Señorita Calhoun and Señor Tutuola, buenos días. Señor Díaz will be with you in the conference room shortly. Follow me, please."

  
"Gracias," Rita says while they follow her and Fin feels some nervousness fading in that moment, though he doesn't know why. He stays close to Rita and is glad she doesn't seem to mind.  
The receptionist shows them to a small but comfortable room with a large table.

  
Rita moves to one side and Fin follows, taking the seat next to her. He catches a whiff of her perfume and has to close his eyes briefly against the onslaught of memories from that morning. It's almost embarrassing how much even the smallest things from her influence him - he really shouldn't be thinking like that, especially now, as they are about to get into the more serious stages of this mission.

  
"Fin? Are you paying attention?!" Rita's voice cuts through the haze and Fin shakes his head slightly before apologizing.

  
"Sorry, just, um. Sorry. I'm listening now."

  
"It's going to be okay," she says, her voice slightly softer now, and he nods just as a man in his late forties enters the room, wearing a summer suit in a pleasant light blue colour and an open, friendly smile.

  
"Miss Calhoun, Mr Tutuola. Good morning, welcome to my office. I hope your ride here was comfortable!"

  
"It was Señor Díaz, thank you," Rita says, standing to shake hands.

  
Fin does the same and adds, "I just wanted to thank you for helping us with my case."

  
"It's my pleasure, Mr Tutuola, and I hope that together, we will be able to find a good solution. Can I offer you anything to drink? Tea, coffee, iced tea?"

  
Rita is pulling her papers from her bag and starts to spread them out on the table; they both politely decline and Díaz takes his seat on the opposite side of the table.

"Well then, let's get down to it. I have some contacts in the system and was able to contact them just now - we have an extradition hearing later this afternoon. I though sooner would be most amenable for you both?"

  
Rita nods, glad that he already got something rolling. "That's definitely sooner than I'd dared to hope. I gathered all the information here that I thought we will require..."

  
The two break out into lawyer-babble and Fin tries to pay attention but ultimately tunes out, feeling a little useless in this moment.

OoO

"Fin? Fin! We won!" Rita hisses as she shakes Díaz's hand. The fight isn't over but at least now they can have it on their own soil and with the laws Rita is familiar with.

Fin looks around, seeing the courtroom clearly for the first time. "I get to go home?" he asks absently, not quite believing that it's true. 

  
It's late evening and he feels like he was in a daze for the whole day, scared that he wouldn't ever be able to go home again. They'd been in Díaz' office for several hours before going to court for many more hours and he just hadn't been able to keep the bad thoughts at bay.

  
"Yes, you'll get your passport back and we can leave for New York," Rita says, looking exhausted but also a tiny bit triumphant.

  
Fin feels a rush of emotion for this woman, and can't resist pulling her into a hug. "Thank you Rita," he whispers into her hair. "Thank you!"

  
She stiffens in surprise as she wasn't prepared for this, but then she accepts the hug. It feels incredibly good to be in his arms, to feel his warmth, but she forces herself to sound normal and businesslike when she says: "It's still not over yet. You'll probably be arrested again in New York and we have a trial to go through."

  
Fin blinks a few times, trying to hold in the emotion. "Doesn't matter. We're going home. Thank you!" he repeats, still holding her close until a throats clears behind him.

  
He reluctantly lets go of her and turns to look at Mr Díaz. "All the best for you, Mr Tutuola."

  
The men shake hands and Fin feels unable to express how grateful he is. Díaz recognizes the look on his face and chuckles. "No hug necessary, Mr Tutuola," he jokes. "You two take care and have a safe trip home together."

  
"Thank you, Mr Díaz," Fin says before Rita and he follow a court officer to get Fin's passport back.  
About an hour later they are back in the car again, on their way back to the hotel.

  
"Looks like we can get two seats on a flight tomorrow afternoon," Rita says, skimming through an email from her assistant. "We should get into JFK around six."

  
"That sounds perfect," Fin replies with a small smile, clinging to his passport. It still feels surreal that he's allowed to go home. "We should celebrate."

  
Rita returns his smile. It's nice to see Fin back to his normal, calm self; watching him try to keep it together all day was harder than she thought it ever would be. "Yeah, we should. Enjoy this little bit of calm before the next storm. What do you suggest?"

  
Fin shrugs, his smile morphing into a smirk as a thought rushes through his mind that he would rather not say out loud. "How about dinner and drinks? My treat, of course," he says ultimately.

  
Rita quirks an eyebrow at the smirk that ghosts over his face briefly but answers positively. "Perfect. I need a glass of wine like you wouldn't believe."

  
"Great. Can you ask the driver to bring us to a nice restaurant? No offense, but the prices in the hotel restaurant aren't really matching my paycheck."

  
Rita doesn't hesitate and starts a conversation with the driver in Spanish to find somewhere suitable for them to go. Just as she's explaining that although they are in the mood to celebrate they want more than just a bar to get drunk in, her phone starts ringing.

  
Rita glances down and hands it over to Fin. He can field this one.  
Fin gives her a sideways glance then shrugs, not sure why she wants him to answer. He doesn't recognize the number so it's not Liv or anyone on the squad: those are burned into his brain.  
"Rita Calhoun's phone?"

  
"Odafin, dear! So good to hear your voice, how are you feeling? Is everything alright with Rita?" Lucia Barba babbles into his ear a second later and Rita smirks while talking with the driver again.

  
Fin blinks a few times, surprised as always at how different Lucia Barba is from her son. "Yes, Mrs Barba," he answers, giving Rita a bit of a glare. "Rita is fine, she's just arranging dinner reservations for us. And I'm feeling on top of the world right now, ma'am. I got my passport back and we're heading home tomorrow."

  
"Oh darling, that's wonderful news! I knew Rita would be able to get you out, she's such a smart girl, isn't she?" He can almost hear the smirk in her voice as her excitement fades. "So, dinner? Where are you two planning to go?"

  
Fin chuckles. "I'm not sure, the conversation is taking place in Spanish and is way too fast for me to understand. Somewhere we can have a nice glass of wine to celebrate, I'm hoping."

  
"Oh, I am sure you two will find something nice. Maybe by the ocean, it's very romantic during sunset."

  
Fin clears his throat and can't help but correct her misinterpretation, no matter how futile he knows it to be. "We're not... like that, Mrs Barba. Our relationship is purely professional.”

  
The frown Lucia is most likely wearing right now swings in her voice. "What, don't you think Rita is a beautiful and intelligent woman, Odafin? You two would be a very good match. Or does it bother you that she's making more money than you?"

  
Fin fully glares at Rita now. She easily could have sent this call to voicemail, and now he’s convinced she did this on purpose. "Of- of course she is beautiful, and she's the smartest person I know. Just- we work on opposite sides, and now it's still not- um," he trails off, not sure why he's answering still.

  
Lucia clicks her tongue. "So it is the money. Odafin, I thought better of you than that."

  
He throws a glance to Rita, sure that she's listening with one ear while still getting information from the driver. "It's not the money," he answers in a grumble, feeling his cheeks glow. "She's my lawyer, Mrs Barba. It's not appropriate."

  
Lucia actually starts laughing at that, and he feels like his words have no effect at all. "Odafin. You just abducted a man and got yourself arrested. You don't seem like the kind of man who sticks to the rules all the time."

  
Fin has nothing to say to that; it's true. "I'm sure this is costing quite a bit in long distance charges so we should probably hang up now. Thank you for your concern, Mrs Barba. You take care." Before Lucia can protest he ends the call and can't keep himself from sighing.

Rita glances at him with an eyebrow raised in questioning while taking her phone back. "What did you two chat about?"

  
Fin glares at her. "I'm sure you could hear enough. Now I really need a drink. Where are we going?"

  
Rita bites her bottom lip for a moment - of course she heard enough to deduce the conversation was about one of Lucia's most favourite topics - and then answers: "A restaurant by the promenade. It's not too touristy according to the driver and has good food."

  
"But does it have a view of the sunset?" Fin mumbles under his breath then turns to Rita. "Sounds good. I'm looking forward to trying something authentic now that I know I won't have to eat it in prison."

  
The ride to the restaurant is short and Fin is pleasantly surprised when Rita shrugs off her blazer before they leave the car, looking like she's planning to let her hair down a little. "Wow, this place is beautiful," she says as they walk towards the building, which has a big terrace facing the beach.

  
"It sure is," Fin agrees quietly, unable to help thinking that Lucia would definitely approve of the location and atmosphere. He feels the unusual urge to reach out and take Rita's hand so he shoves his hands down into his pockets.

  
They're seated at a table on the terrace, having a perfect and undisturbed view on the beach. A light, salty breeze lifts the heat of the day a little and fairy lights and candles make for a cosy atmosphere. Rita translates the menu for Fin and then orders a bottle of wine and the food for them, a relaxed smile on her lips.  
Maybe it's the emotional hangover, or something that Lucia said, but Fin can't help but feel a rush of emotion when he looks at Rita.

  
The light makes her look even more beautiful and he's enchanted by the way she smiles, a sight he hasn't witnessed so far. They make light conversation while waiting for the food, sipping their wine and getting tipsy already because they didn't have time to eat since the early morning hours.

  
When the server brings their food, Rita is in the middle of a story and Fin wishes they hadn't been interrupted. He could listen to her talk all day.

  
"Where was I?" she asks with a small giggle - who knew she could make these sounds - while picking up her cutlery, cheeks red from the wine. "Oh, yes. In the end Barba had to go to the dorm of the Senior years and ask for his underwear back."

  
Fin laughs at her story, smiling at her fondly. "It's hard to believe you and Barba go back so far. It's nice that you have someone from back then, though. Barba's a good man, once he decides to let you see that."

  
"He is," she says with a grin. "And I always have something to tease him with. Though he too knows about my bodies in the cellar, of course. Not that mine are as embarrassing as his."

  
Fin smirks. "Of course not. But you wouldn't tell me even if they were," he comments with a wink. "This is really good," he continues, gesturing to his plate. "You should try a bite."

  
"True," she says while reaching over the table to get a forkful of his food. "Though I'm surprised he hasn't told the squad about my brief collision with campus security. You're right, this tastes delicious." And with that she steals another bite from his plate.

  
Fin eyes her plate and reaches across to help himself to a bite of her seafood pasta. "Yours is, too," he smirks.

  
"Yes," she agrees, their gazes locking, and a shiver runs down her spine. "We should share dessert though, I don't think I'll be able to eat a whole one by myself after this."

  
"I was thinking the same thing," Fin agrees softly. "But I'm not in a hurry to leave, this view is wonderful."

  
"Yes, it is," she says, letting her gaze wander over the ocean for a moment after taking a sip of wine, not noticing that he's looking at her and not the nature

"Maybe I'll spend my next vacation here. If I ever manage to take one."

  
Fin makes a face. "Count me out. I'm never coming back to Cuba once they let me out. Better safe than sorry, I don't know if they'll hold a grudge."

  
She cocks her head, giving him a little wink when she asks: "Did you just imply you would go on vacation with me?"

  
Fin feels his cheeks glow and he looks down briefly, then meets her eyes. "Well, other than the whole extradition thing we've been dealing with I have to admit I'm enjoying myself," he confesses in a soft voice.

  
Rita feels her heart skip a beat, unable to look anywhere but his eyes. "Despite the stress I had I'm enjoying myself too," she admits with a smile and yet some more unsaid things hang in the air between them.

  
The moment is charged and they both feel unsure of what to do next. Just as Fin is about to reach across the table and take Rita's hand in his, the server returns to clear their plates and ask if they're interested in dessert or coffee.

  
Rita covers the movement of reaching for him by taking her wine glass and playing with the stem. "Dessert?" she asks, slightly flustered.

  
Fin nods and clears his throat. "And more wine, please," he says, his voice raspy.

  
Rita turns to the server and asks for another bottle of wine and arroz con leche, a dessert that Rafael's grandmother used to make them on holidays.

  
As soon as the server is gone an awkward silence settles over the table, neither of them sure what to say. The rush of the waves rolling onto the beach is the only sound audible for some time. They sip at their wine and watch the waves crashing in the fading light. When the server returns with their dessert, she refills their glasses and Rita takes a big gulp.

  
"So... I bet Benson will give you an ass-chewing when we come back," she says after clearing her throat, trying to get some kind of conversation rolling again.

Fin chuckles, looking at her in amusement. "I thought you'd done that already."

  
She cocks her head and smiles, picking up one of the dessert forks. "Maybe. But your Lieutenant isn't one to let others speak for her, at least in my experience," she says.

  
"True. She'll probably wait at the airport so she can rant at me the moment I put my feet on American soil."

  
"I would have done the same," Rita remarks while scooping some of the dessert on her fork.

  
Fin chuckles and nods in agreement. "You certainly didn't hold back when you arrived here, either," he reminds her. "I don't mind though, means you guys care about me." Quickly regretting his words, Fin reaches out to take a bite of dessert as well, unsure of why he seems to be unable to stop sharing around her. It must be the wine.

  
"I do have to admit that Rollins gave me some prompts before I left New York. She's the one who called me and asked me to make sure you get how utterly stupid this was."  
Rita tries to sound casual, as if she didn't just think that of course she fucking cares about him.

  
Fin keeps his eyes downcast and can't keep himself from saying grudgingly, "You know I was trying to do the right thing? This guy's scum."

  
"I know. Hell, we all know," she replies with a sigh. "But you've been doing this job long enough to know that sometimes, you just can't win. He's still walking free and you could be losing your Sergeant's badge, or worse, your job and your pension, even your freedom. So was it worth it?"  
She didn't mean to be so harsh, but her anger and worry are just too strong in this moment.

  
He looks up to meet her eyes, wanting her to know how serious he is. "Yes. Always. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to get this guy when the opportunity arose. These guys, they never stop. They keep hurting people. And I wouldn't have been in SVU for eighteen years if I could just turn it off."

  
Rita sighs, shaking her head lightly while mumbling something about his stubborn ass into her wine glass. It's admirable that he cares about the victims so much, but she also thinks that he shouldn't put them above his own life so unconditionally.

  
"Maybe I'll retire and spend my days walking around the city with my dog," Fin says, taking a sip of wine and trying to lighten the mood. "She'd certainly love it."

  
"Oh, you have a dog? I didn't know that. Who's taking care of her right now?" Rita asks, glad for the opportunity to direct the conversation towards less serious territory.

  
"My son, Ken. Normally I would ask Amanda to keep Duchess since she gets along so well with her dog, but for obvious reasons I didn't want to alert her to the fact I was going out of the country," Fin explains, raising his eyebrow then taking another bite of dessert.

  
"Barba had to take my kitten. He didn't exactly seem happy, but I'm sure he'll survive," Rita says with a nod, glad at the thought that they'll fly home tomorrow and she'll be able to cuddle with Giorgio again.

  
"Who wasn't happy - Barba or your kitten? Besides, it will probably be Liv doing most of the cat sitting. Barba seems to spend most nights there," Fin comments lightly, happy to have someone to discuss his friends with casually. Amanda and Sonny are no fun - they both get way too serious about Liv and Barba.

  
Rita smirks, playing with a lock of her hair. "Neither of them seemed happy with the arrangement, but I guess Giorgio will forgive me after all the cuddles Noah is probably giving him. Barba most definitely is at Benson's anyway now, just like you said."

  
"Giorgio, that's a cute name," Fin compliments. "I adopted Duchess after she retired from the canine unit so she was pre-named. Sometimes that dog is too smart for her own good."

  
Rita smiles and takes another sip of wine. "Pets are pretty great, huh? Barba kept teasing me at first, saying that I was turning into a crazy cat lady, but it's just nice to have someone at home. Giorgio came from a shelter so I know he's getting a better life with me too."

  
"Yes, it's great when someone's waiting for you already," Fin agrees. "Though Duchie sometimes seems more excited about dinner than about seeing me."

  
They both chuckle before drinking some more of the wine, the brief silence definitely comfortable this time. They finish the dessert and the last of their wine and Fin finds himself wishing the night weren't over yet. He's enjoying getting to know Rita - she's not an open book but neither is he. And he thinks she's worth the effort.The wine has loosened their tongues in an entertaining way and Rita is smiling and laughing, something he's sure is a sight reserved for few people.

  
While he pays their tab, she suddenly proposes: "How about a little walk? It's still warm and who knows how long it'll be until we get the opportunity to take a real vacation, so we might as well pretend we are on one right now?"

  
Fin gives her a warm, genuine smile and nods, replacing his wallet in his pocket. "Yeah, that sounds great. This is probably my only chance to experience a Cuban beach," he says with a playful wink.

  
"Very likely," she answers with a chuckle while standing up, pushing her hair over her shoulder while grabbing her bag. They leave the restaurant and walk onto the promenade, which is slowly being abandoned by the tourists.

  
"Wait," Rita exclaims suddenly and before Fin knows it, she grabs his forearm for support and slips out of her Louboutins. Fin freezes at her touch; he would swear he can feel how soft her skin is even through his suit jacket. "Ah, that's better," Rita breathes, relishing the feel of the sand between her toes.

  
"This feels like vacation," she adds after sucking the salty air into her lungs, her hand still resting lightly on his forearm. Taking her heels into one hand, she smiles while gazing between him and the water. "How I wish I could go swimming."

  
"What's stopping you?" he asks in a joking tone. "It'll be dark soon, and the beach is clearing out. Two words: skinny dipping."

  
Rita looks at him with a smirk. "Only if you join me, Sergeant."  
Fin chuckles. "Nah, I promised my lawyer I wouldn't break any more laws in Cuba. Though you have no idea how tempting your offer is, Counsellor."

  
"Pity," Rita says, more to herself than to him, and slowly walks towards the water, letting the stress of the last two days slip off her. A squeal escapes her when the waves hit her feet for the first time, the water cooler than expected. "Shit that's cold!" She exclaims, bracing herself for the next wave.

  
Fin watches with a smirk on his face for a minute but then removes his own shoes and socks, and follows her path down to the water. He shudders too when the water hits his feet and sloshes around his ankles, but in this moment he doesn't really care about the cold - Rita is laughing lightly while stepping a little deeper into the water, splashing a little. "It's definitely too cold for skinny dipping. I would freeze my ass off."

  
"Next time, then," Fin shoots back before he can stop himself. 

Rita laughs and smiles at him. "Yeah, on our joint vacation on US soil, right?"

  
"I've always wanted to visit Hawaii," he says nonchalantly, deciding to roll with it. It doesn't feel odd to imagine a vacation with her, even though she's probably really joking. He just feels grateful to be allowed to see this private side of her for once.

  
Rita's laughter fades but her smile remains. "I love Hawaii. The flight is tedious but so worth it."

  
"Great. Then you can show me all the secret spots," Fin replies calmly, looking into her beautiful eyes and suddenly feeling the same tension that was hanging between them this morning when they almost kissed.

  
"I look forward to it," Rita says softly, unable to look away from Fin's warm brown eyes. She takes a step closer to him, his cologne filling her senses. Fin's mind is spinning as his gaze briefly flickers down to her lips.

  
"Me too," he whispers back, wondering if he should make the leap and kiss her. Rita notices his eyes flicker down and licks her lips unconsciously. She holds her breath, hoping that he will kiss her.

  
Fin's desire to kiss her only grows with that gesture and he supposes that if she wouldn't want this, she would have stepped away already. Or he misinterpreted her actions completely and will earn himself a slap. Anyway, he decides to take the risk and leans in, inhaling the scent of her perfume.

  
Rita smiles slightly and leans in to meet him, their lips meeting softly. The first touch sends shivers down her spine and she reaches her free hand up to wrap around Fin's neck, needing something to hold on to.  
The softness of her lips makes Fin's head spin and he wraps his arms around Rita's waist, almost scared that this is only a dream. Feeling the warmth of her body against his reassures him that this is very real, and he smirks lightly against her lips.

  
Rita feels his smirk and pulls back from the kiss enough to look into his eyes. "Everything okay?" she breathes, her gaze flicking down to his lips. His wonderful, talented lips.

  
"More than okay," he whispers back, pulling her body closer against his before capturing her lips again, this kiss much more intense than the first one.  
Rita moans involuntarily and adjusts her grip on Fin's neck, her knees suddenly feeling a bit wobbly. The release of the tension that's been building all evening - all day, really - is intoxicating and she can't get enough. Shivers rush through Fin at her sounds and he has to force himself to concentrate on the kiss so his mind wouldn't wander - the last thing he wants is for the situation to become embarrassing. He moves one hand up, caressing her back, then his fingers gently thread into her brown curls.

  
A larger than normal wave crash into their legs causing Fin and Rita both to jump at the shock. Rita starts to giggle and presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Maybe we should take this somewhere else," she says softly, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

  
Fin feels disappointed at the loss of contact, but the thought of continuing the kissing later on makes up for that, so he rasps out: "Good idea."

  
As they turn to walk over the beach, Rita fiddling with her phone to call their driver - her fingers are shaking - Fin keeps his arm wrapped around her waist, wanting to keep her close.

  
Rita finally manages to contact the driver and after a quick conversation she slides her phone into her purse. "He'll meet us in front of the restaurant in about twenty minutes," she says, leaning into Fin's side.

  
Fin nods, pecking a kiss onto her cheek before asking: "What are we going to do in the meantime?"

  
Rita turns into him and smirks. "Hmm. I'm not sure. We could do some stargazing," she suggests while wrapping her arms around his waist loosely. He hums, his fingers drawing patterns on her back for a moment.

  
"A good suggestion. Though there's something a lot more interesting than the stars down here."

  
Rita feels warmth spreading in her belly at his words and she leans up to kiss him lightly then whispers against his lips, "Flatterer."

  
Fin chuckles, pushing a strand of her hair out of her face. "Just saying the truth, baby."

  
"Baby?" Rita repeats with a raised eyebrow.

  
Fin's stomach twinges nervously. "Are you okay with me calling you that?"

  
Rita hesitates - she's never been really fond of pet names, especially not 'babe' or 'baby' as she feels like they were belittling for a grown woman. But the way Fin says it doesn't sound the way she's hated for most of her life.  
Rita's expression softens into a smile and she kisses him again before replying. "Yeah, I like it."

  
Fin releases a small sigh of relief and kisses her again. "Sorry, shouldn't have blurted it out like this," he grumbles between kisses.

  
"It's okay," Rita replies breathlessly, tightening her hold on him. "I'm the one who overreacted."

  
"You didn't," he whispers, one hand gliding over the small of her back as their lips collide again. On a whim, Rita deepens the kiss; this time it's Fin who moans, and Rita loves the sound and the feelings it brings her. She presses her body closer to his, wanting to feel more of his warmth and the wonderful tingles their closeness is sending through her.

  
When they need to part for air, Fin trails kisses along her jawline and down her neck. "How long until the driver picks us up?" Rita whimpers, wanting to get back to the hotel as soon as possible.

  
"I don't know, baby," he murmurs against her skin, feeling the desire to explore every inch of it. "Hopefully not long."

  
He can barely believe this is happening, but the way she's digging her nails into his shoulders and breathes his name convinces him that this is more than real.

  
Rita doesn't know if it's the feeling of his lips on her skin or him calling her baby, but she feels like she is in a dream.

  
"Fin," she gasps when he hits a hot spot under her ear. "Oh god, please don't stop!"

  
Fin makes a mental note of the particular spot and sucks at it gently before moving on, nibbling on her earlobe.

  
A second later they hear a loud honk and they jump apart, spotting their driver on the other side of the road. Rita grabs Fin's hand and starts pulling him across the street quickly, barely paying attention to the traffic.

  
"Slow down, baby! We'll get there, don't worry," Fin chuckles, his voice turning her on even more.

  
"I hate wasting time," she says while glancing at him over her shoulder, a smirk on her lips.  
Fin returns Rita's smirk.

"I've always appreciated that about you, baby," he purrs, pressing up against her back as she opens the door to the waiting car. Rita chuckles and they slip into the car, Rita sitting closer to Fin than what would be considered proper, but she doesn't care at all.

Fin wraps his arm around Rita's back and holds her close - he would love to nibble on her neck again but they don't want to give the driver a show; he settles for running his fingers along the skin of her thigh where her dress has ridden up.

  
Rita sighs quietly at his ministrations, her skin tingling pleasantly, and she shifts a tiny bit so her dress glides up another inch. Fin smirks at her movement and takes full advantage of the extra skin. He can't resist nuzzling his nose into her hair and whispers, "Baby, you're so damn hot."

  
A tingle runs down her spine and the heat in her belly intensifies at his words. She's glad the traffic is thin at this time of the evening and they’re at the hotel within a short time. Fin tosses a generous tip at the driver and scrambles out of the car, holding out his hand to help Rita.

They make their way quickly through the hotel lobby, keeping a respectable distance between them until the elevator doors close.

  
The second they’re alone in the elevator Rita grabs Fin by the lapels of his jacket, pushing him into the elevator wall. Their lips collide in a hungry kiss and she feels like it's been way too long since they last kissed. Fin pulls Rita against him, his hands sliding up her back and into her hair.

  
"Why did you have to get the furthest room?" He asks between kisses breathlessly.

  
Rita curls her fingers into his shirt, chuckling. "Because I like being on top."

  
Fin groans and takes her lips in another kiss so passionate that they almost miss the elevator doors opening on their floor. They don't want to let go of each other, and so they stumble out of the elevator pressing up against each other. Fin doesn't pay much attention to which room they're moving, he just wants to feel more of her skin.

The first door they come to is Fin's, and Rita pushes him through the doorway, yanking his shirt out of his pants as they move. He attacks her neck again while his fingers search for the zipper of her dress, pulling it down as soon as he finds it. Rita unbuttons his shirt and pulls it off his shoulders then quickly moves to undo his belt and pants, letting them glide down over his hips before breaking the kiss and pushing him back onto the mattress. She locks eyes with him as she lets the silky material of her dress slide down her body to reveal scraps of ivory lace.

  
Fin has to take a few deep breaths to ground himself as his gaze wanders over every inch of skin that is revealed, taking in every detail of her.  
"You're beautiful, baby," he whispers when she slips out of her heels and climbs onto the mattress, crawling over him to straddle his lap.

Rita leans down to kiss him again, the feeling of their bare skin touching intoxicating them both.  
Fin tangles his fingers in her curls and runs his thumb over her cheek, earning a questioning glance from her.

"I just want to make sure this is really happening," he whispers fondly, smiling up at her, and Rita smiles back softly.

  
"It's happening," she murmurs, leaning in to kiss him again.

OoO

They lost track of time, but the first signs of dawn are already showing when Fin is able to catch clear thoughts again. Rita's head is resting on his chest, not an inch of space between their bodies, and he is lazily playing with her hair. His worries seemed so far away earlier tonight, but now they’re coming back slowly, pushing a dark cloud over the luck they only just found.

  
Rita has never felt so connected with anyone after one night together as she does right now. Laying in Fin's embrace listening to the steady beat of his heart, she wills away the realities of their situation and enjoys the peace of the moment..

  
Meanwhile Fin still can't stop thinking about just that, and after some time he just needs to voice his worries. "What will happen to us when we're back in New York?"

  
Rita's fingers still momentarily where they are tracing mindless patterns on his chest. "I don't know," she whispers, then shifts propped up on her elbow so she can see his face. "I don't know what's going to happen but I do know that whatever it is, we're going to face it together."

  
Fin takes a deep, shaky breath while looking her into the eyes, the determination in the green depths giving him hope. She's not going to give up, because Rita Calhoun never gives up.

  
He smiles, a trace of sadness in it, and cups her cheek. "I'm glad you'll be the one standing by my side, Rita."

  
Rita leans into his touch and whispers with tears threatening to fall, "Always."

  
Fin kisses her softly, feeling warm on the inside, and he holds her as close as he can, savouring every second and memorising the feeling of her proximity. He doesn't want to think that this could be the first and last time they are doing this and so he forces himself to occupy his mind with different things.

  
He trusts her, and he has no doubt that in the end, they'll get out of it, no matter how hard the fight will be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is! Thanks for reading and joining us on this Calhola adventure :)

**Author's Note:**

> Part 2 will be up soon!


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